-I have a Hot Spring, Vanguard, 2001
-Set up with 230 v circuit, with separate breakers for pump and heater
-The Heater Type is electric, No-Fault 6000
Problem: NO HEAT
There are two sets of wires going to the heater. Each pair reads about 10000 ohms. But there doesn't seem to be power coming off the board to these wires? When the thermostat is raised, the red (heater on) light comes on and stays on. There is a loud click (I guess the relays kicking in). All other power (main pump, circulator pump, control panel and light all functioning normally. Power coming in from the breaker box on both the 20 & 30 amp circuits. No charring evident on the front of the boards. Am I checking this wrong? Tried it without filters and by hitting the heater reset button.

You need to disconnect the heater wires from the board, put the meter leads in the white and black flag terminals from the heater. You should have an OHMS reading of 9.8 to 15 or something like that. If it reads O.L. or the numbers jump around then the heater is bad.

Yes, I disconnected the plug from the board and checked each wire pair (B/W) and got about 10-15000 ohms (from memory/didn't record it). I plugged it back in and turned on the heater/thermostat (red light on) and didn't get any dc volt readings at this connection on either pair? Is that the correct sanity check?

Ok, sounds like the heater relay board is bad then. That is the whole board on the left side of the control box.

Even if you hear the 'clicking' doesn't mean it is actually connecting?

Do I have to get this from Hot Springs or can I get it at a discount somewhere?

Is is difficult to change?

Board:
Invensysappliance control
100 01398 02

Based on the other things you have checked and no power coming out of the relay but the 'heater on' light is on then the relay board is bad.

Don't test for DC voltage. Test for AC voltage across the heater terminals.

Also test for ac voltage on the main terminal block between terminals 1 and 3

Accross 1- 3 I get 220. Heater lines I get 220. no reading on the resistance (ohm). Guess I'm upgrading the heater!!!

First... Kill power to the tub

Take the black and white heater wires off from the relay board that they connect to.

Turn power back on, and test for volatage at the two terminals that you just took the wires off from. You should have 220 Volts AC.

If there is no voltage then the relay board is bad, if there is then the heater is probably bad providing that the thermal cut-off switch is reset.

Try mashing the little resett button on the heater. It's tiny and a pain in the rear to find, but try resetting it and test for OHMS accross the heater again.

Also, it usually trips for a reason, how's the little circ pump doing, is the flow OK? Filters clean?

Thanks. Yes, I tried the red button with a phillips head screwdriver with a reasonable amount of pressure and no help. 6 mos old circulator pump seems to be OK and ran it without filters. Does 7 years sound like the burn out time for a nofault 6000?

Time for a new heater!

~Enjoy,

Swine

Thanks for the supportive and insightfull comments. I'll be trying the new heater route.